Council considering Smart Centre project

INNISFIL — The first stage of a proposed Smart Centre development near Georgian Downs at Hwy. 400 and Innisfil Beach Road was presented to council last week.
Tom Smith, representing Calloway Reit Innisfil, requested the removal of the “Holding” designation from a piece of land on the southwest corner of Innisfil Beach Road and Sideroad 5.
The 86-acre former farm property could become the site of a business park, including a hotel, two restaurants, a gas station and a number of small commercial and service buildings totalling105,000 square feet, Smith said.
Following a “tourist model”, Smith said the economic impact of the development could reach $43.2 million with an annual labour income of about $14.7 million.
Council sought assurances that if they approved the lifting of the “Hold” provision, it would only apply to the lands in the original site plan application, filed with the Town in December 2011.
“We want to have highly productive, employment lands on this site,” said Mayor Barb Baguley, pointing to the town’s bid to increase industrial lands in the area for future manufacturing.